1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to intraoral device systems, for example orthodontic bracket systems for use in correcting spacing and orientation of the teeth.
2. The Relevant Technology
Orthodontics is a specialized field of dentistry that involves the application of mechanical forces to urge poorly positioned, or crooked, teeth into correct alignment and orientation. Orthodontic procedures can be used for cosmetic enhancement of teeth, as well as medically necessary movement of teeth to correct overjets or overbites. For example, orthodontic treatment can improve the patient's occlusion, or enhanced spatial matching of corresponding teeth.
The most common form of orthodontic treatment involves the use of orthodontic brackets and wires, which together are commonly referred to as “braces.” Orthodontic brackets, more particularly the orthodontic bases, are small slotted bodies configured for direct attachment to the patient's teeth or, alternatively, for attachment to bands which are, in turn, cemented or otherwise secured around the teeth. Once the brackets are affixed to the patient's teeth, such as by means of glue or cement, a curved arch wire is inserted into the slot of each bracket. The arch wire acts as a template or track to guide movement of the teeth into proper alignment.
The bracket bases are formed of a rigid material, typically metal, ceramic, or a rigid plastic in order to withstand the forces transferred to the bracket from the arch wire during treatment. The arch wires used are also typically formed of metal (e.g., stainless steel or nickel-titanium). When fitting a patient with an orthodontic bracket system, the hard, rigid orthodontic brackets and/or wires can often irritate the soft, sensitive tissues of the mouth. This is particularly so at the beginning of treatment and when any adjustments are made, as after a short time the tissues of the mouth become somewhat calloused, reducing the discomfort or pain caused by the presence of the brackets and/or wires.
In order to help alleviate the discomfort, soft wax is used in an attempt to coat portions of the brackets and/or wires during the early stages of treatment and after adjustments are made, so as to soften the contact surfaces between the patient's mouth and the brackets and/or wires. Although it typically only takes a few days to a couple of weeks for the mouth tissues to callous and adjust to the presence of the braces, the soft wax material is easily displaced after minutes or no more than a couple hours, which is usually not long enough to be effective at reducing discomfort. The easy displacement of the soft wax requires the patient to frequently reapply the wax coating or to accept the discomfort and pain, neither of which are desirable. As such, it would be an improvement in the art to provide alternative systems and methods for temporarily coating portions of the orthodontic bracket system so as to reduce discomfort. Such improvements would also be useful with other intra-oral devices (e.g., removable partial dentures or bridges, palette expanders, or other devices used within the oral cavity), the use of which can often result in pain and discomfort to the patient as a result of contact between the devices and the soft, sensitive tissue within the oral cavity.